Companies improving man-portable systems for ground troops
TUCSON, Arizona -- Raytheon Company (NYSE: RTN) and Swedish aerospace and defense firm Saab will partner to develop new weapons for infantry forces. Initially, the team will upgrade the Carl-Gustaf reloadable shoulder-launched weapon system and explore opportunities to enhance Saab's AT4 disposable weapon system to meet near-term U.S. and international requirements.
The Carl-Gustaf system is used by the U.S. Army and ground forces of 40 other countries in the world's most demanding combat environments. The multi-role weapon has been modernized to meet the changing needs of soldiers on the ground. For example, Saab recently improved portability by reducing the weight of the latest version, the M4/M3E1, from 22 to 15 pounds.
"Putting the best equipment in the hands of soldiers is our main mission," said Kim Ernzen, Raytheon Land Warfare Systems vice president. "Saab and Raytheon bring the power of the world's latest technologies to make this happen."
The upgraded weapon systems will give U.S. and coalition dismounted forces overmatch capabilities against enemy threats on the battlefield.
"Collaborating with Raytheon, utilizing their technical and product excellence in combination with our technology, will enhance the already world-leading Carl-Gustaf and AT4 weapon systems with additional capabilities that will further increase the operational benefit for the end user," said Görgen Johansson, who leads Saab's Dynamics business.